Dont buy the doom and gloom pronouncements from conservatives telling you, this is the most important election in history. A loss for Mitt Romney would not necessarily spell long lasting disaster for Republicans, nor would it be the death-knell to conservatism. In fact, its possible a 2012 loss could lay the groundwork for a stronger Republican party and conservative movement.

Elections are almost always seen as urgent and morally imperative. But sometimes major victories can only come in the aftermath of what appear to be devastating defeats. John Kerrys loss in 2004 laid the groundwork for a Democratic takeover in 2006 and 2008, and Jimmy Carters defeat of Gerald Ford in 1976 paved the way for the Ronald Reagan in 1980. In other words, it is a mistake to assume losing a presidential election is a permanent defeat.

This should be the most important election since 1980, but so far it is not, says Reagan biographer Craig Shirley. Scottish historian Thomas Carlyle postulated the great man theory of history, and indeed this was true with Washington, Jackson, Lincoln, TR, FDR and Reagan. But history has not summoned forth great men in 2012 and in fact our history today is small.

This is not to say Republicans should concede the election, but conservatives should keep November in proper perspective.

After the first four years of Obama your statement makes me wonder how bad it would actually have to get for you to be concerned and perhaps compromise your sacred principles.
***Why do you put the word “principles” in quotes? Is it to denigrate such principles? Why do you even wonder what it would take to compromise such principles? There are dozens of non-conservatives actively campaigning on this conservative website to separate conservatives from their conservative principles & vote for a librul. That is not conservative. So go and convert some 0bots into mittbots. We can all agree that such a thing is the proper course of action. Free Republic is not a republican website; it is a conservative website. So, start acting conservative.

Why are you only interested in bating people instead of having an intelligent conversation?
***I explained it to you upthread — such freepers are bootlickers, let alone the fact they’re CINOs.

In case you haven’t noticed, he has allowed those of us who disagree to continue to post and comment.
***In case you haven’t noticed, occasionally JimRob has zotted some freepers who have engaged in exactly the same kind of posting behavior that I’m calling out.

Obama wins, its on your head and the head of others with your same mindset.
***Blame game. The other side of the coin. Why are you berating conservatives on a conservative website? This is not a republican website. Go and convert some 0bots into mittbots.

Do you agree with that, really?
***Yes I do. Do You? Romney and the GOP-E have gleefully decided in their disdain for our principles that they don’t need conservatives on this election. Perhaps they are right. Either way, the right approach is to convert 0bots to mittbots, so why exactly are you not doing that?

Im not convinced you do,
***How convenient for you. It gives you a chance to further sow discord among conservatives. Obama thanks you for your efforts.

since a second Obama term would be no big deal in your world,
***Where did I say that?

and a Romney presidency would be disastrous...
***disastrous to conservatism, yes. Are YOU a conservative? Then why are you so busy sowing discord on this conservative (NOT Republican) website?

Once again - you jumped on a comment I made to someone else and got yourself in the middle and all worked up over something that was never directed at you.
***Very well, then. Since the comment was ‘directed’ at me, here’s my response:

What in the Wide, Wide, World of Sports makes you think I intend to sit out the election because I won’t vote for your liberal with an R?

It would be far easier to primary a President Romney than it would be to recover from the damage unleashed by a second term of President Obama.
***Interesting position. Is there some reason why having such a position would give republicans a blank check to go around browbeating conservatives on a conservative (non republican) website like FR?

I think the contrary will be far easier. What should the default position be? It would be to go and convert 0bots to mittbots rather than to sow discord with conservatives.

Yes, I’m a conservative, but I’m also willing to vote for someone I may only agree with 50% of the time, if neccessary, to defeat someone who is the antithesis of everything I’ve ever believed in. I’m me, you’re you, fine. I won’t debate it any further. I’m not trying to sow discord or convince anyone either, btw. I’m just angry and venting my frustration...

I think it is a mistake to think re-electing Pres. Obama will not have dire consequences for the country, but I also share some of your concerns that a Romney Presidency could potentially do a tremendous amount of harm to the long-term cause of conservatism.

In the end, I have come to the conclusion that more harm is done by not voting for Romney, so I will cast my ballot for him in November. I’m not going to pick fights with those who decide otherwise though.

268
posted on 08/03/2012 5:39:29 PM PDT
by comebacknewt
(Newt (sigh) what could have been . . .)

No fear-mongering here, FRiend; I just believe that Obama is intent on the radical transformation and destruction of the United States as founded. Yes, it's been said every election before, but we've never had a president like Barack Hussein Obama before. His first term has been every bit the government-power-expanding freedom-destroying disaster I expected, and then some. But a second term? What we have now pales in comparison to what's to come, if history is our judge.

S'ok. I've got thick skin, and respect your right to vote your principles as you see fit.

As I'll vote mine.

The GOP-E is the source of your frustration, not the people that won't go along to get along.

I would respectfully suggest that you vent to them, and not to conservatives that will die before supporting abortion enablers, gun grabbers, and other assorted side winding, bushwhacking, cracker croakers.

"Your way of thinking isnt working. If it is, how did we get to Unlikely, Even more, Additional and Permanently?"

That's a bit of a non sequitur, but I'll go with it.

I don't expect much from President Romney, should we be so fortunate to avoid another term of the anti-Christ.

But I expect that he will roll back DeathCare, that he'll keep the Bush tax cuts, that he'll reduce the federal budget - slowly - back to roughly 20% of GDP, and that although his picks for the Court may be as poor as John Roberts, they won't be to the left of Ginsburg or Sotomayor.

Our problems are cultural, not really political. We've embraced sin. Electing folks like Romney (or even Ronald Reagan, himself) isn't going to save the day. It only delays what will be inevitable if we don't recapture our culture, if we don't turn away from death and darkness. But a Romney presidency will delay our ruin and provide more time for cultural renewal.

A second term for the anti-Christ will foreclose that possibility and we will enter a long and dark night. It is possible that even then, we may someday recover our culture, our country and our freedom. Not in my lifetime, but perhaps in the lifetimes of my grandchildren. Or maybe not at all.

I'd rather fight while there is still light.

sitetest

271
posted on 08/03/2012 6:05:54 PM PDT
by sitetest
(If Roe is not overturned, no unborn child will ever be protected in law.)

I cant believe the level of idiocy here anymore, either. This is truly sickening.

That's why I don't FReep much anymore. I got flamed for what I said, when I'm really just voicing my opinion and engaging in civil discourse. I still believe in Jim Rob and his mission for FR, but we really have to stop the in-fighting and do everything we can to bring down this Marxist presidency.

That’s a false dichotomy, and you know it. I will have more choices than that.

I detest Obama but Romney is not a conservative solution. Given the two, Romney isn’t a Communist, but that’s not enough to make me vote for him.

If they were the last two candidates on earth, of course I’d vote to remove Obama. Thankfully, they aren’t the last two candidates on earth, so I’ll find a conservative for President and vote straight conservative all over my ballot.

I answered your question, so now please do me the favor of answering this one: how will Romney’s election advance the cause of this website, which is grass-roots conservatism?

273
posted on 08/03/2012 6:07:20 PM PDT
by Colonel_Flagg
(Conservatism is not a matter of convenience.)

I think it is a mistake to think re-electing Pres. Obama will not have dire consequences for the country, but I also share some of your concerns that a Romney Presidency could potentially do a tremendous amount of harm to the long-term cause of conservatism.

-

Baloney.

Romney is the furthest thing from a conservative.

He’s not a conservative. He’s never been a conservative.

His only hope of conservatism, is a whole-lot endorsement of someone like Sarah Palin, or as good.

I half expect him to make that compromise, to actually select a Palin as a running mate.

If he does not, my vote ends November 7th. But until the votes are counted.

I had no idea what your position was - if you intended to vote or not.

K. Let me 'splain. I intend to vote the entire ticket, top to bottom, for the most conservative candidate on the ticket. Period. If they support abortion, gun control, socialized medicine, or big government, I'm not voting for them.

I hope that clarifies my position.

I'm also looking to run some GOP-E types off the political stage, and leave them, hat in hand, wondering what exactly happened.

wont stop the media from blaming all the countrys problems on the Tea Party though

They already do. Embrace the blame and kick it back to them. The old media is losing badly. Newsweak is going to stop printing dead tree editions, and will be another web blog. Which old media outlet listed millions in losses today?

Don't be afraid. Do what is right, trust to God for the results. Lots of lessons in the Cruz victory. GOP-E took a 14 point smackdown, with the help of principled conservatives, and by the Grace of God.

1) Once Obamacare goes into effect, it will never be fully repealed. No government program ever does. Future debates will be over how to reform it so it "works better", not over getting rid of it (see Social Security and Medicare).

2) There are at least four Supreme Court justices over 70 years old, including Scalia, Thomas, Ginsburg and Kennedy. While I have no guarantee Romney would pick true conservatives, I have an ironclad guarantee that Obama would pick true left-wing progressives (see Kagan and Sotomayor).

In other words, Romney may not be the conservative president we have been wanting, but he is not a European Socialist. And anyone who says there is no difference between Romney and Obama is fooling themselves.

285
posted on 08/03/2012 7:03:53 PM PDT
by BruceS
(If you refuse to support the lesser of two evils, then you are supporting the greater of two evils.)

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